NEW DELHI: Senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan was released from Sitapur jail on Tuesday after spending 23 months behind bars in connection with multiple criminal cases. Party workers and supporters welcomed him outside the jail.Sitapur police deployed drones to monitor crowds outside the jail as Azam Khan’s release attracted large numbers of supporters.Khan’s elder son, Adeeb, along with hundreds of party supporters, had gathered outside Sitapur district jail since morning to welcome him after his release.Adeeb said, “Azam Khan is the hero of the day. I am here with all his supporters to welcome him. I have nothing more to say. Whatever has to be said, my father will say after coming out of jail.”

Jail authorities confirmed that the release process began around 7 am, after which Khan left directly for Rampur. Elaborate security arrangements were made by the Sitapur jail administration to ensure a smooth and peaceful release.Khan’s lawyer, Jubair Ahmed Khan, told TOI that Azam Khan had secured bail in all cases, and the release order had been issued by the Sitapur district jail.Azam Khan was previously released on bail in 2022. However, following a fresh case registered against him in October 2023, he had surrendered before the Rampur court and was sent back to Sitapur jail, where he remained until Tuesday.According to police records, Khan faces charges in 111 criminal cases. Of these, final reports have been filed in seven cases, one case was discharged by the court, and nine were withdrawn by the SP government. He had been sentenced in six cases but has now been granted bail in all. The remaining cases are still under trial.“On the three additional charges pressed last week by the Rampur police in a 2020 FIR against Azam, we have already approached the Supreme Court against it, stating that he has already got bail in that case, and it is a deliberate attempt by the state to keep him in jail. In the past also, some additional sections were pressed by the police in a case, on which we approached the SC and got bail,” the lawyer told TOI. He also added that the MP/MLA court in Rampur will now hear that matter pertaining to the additional three cases on October 1.